Interview with Dequan

Q. What was it like growing up for you?

 

A. Hospital Visits, pretty good childhood, after being diagnosed with Hydrocephalus pretty normal.

 

Q. When did you first get diagnosed with Hydrocephalus?

 

A. At Birth and that was in 1997.

 

Q. Did you go through any challenges growing up? If so, what were some of the struggles that you faced?

 

A. Learning how to walk, a little bit of speech and almost everything.

 

Q. Who helped you with overcoming some of the challenges growing up?

 

A. I would say, my mom.

 

Q. Where did you feel that you struggled in school growing up? Did you have any help, or did you manage to do things on your own?

 '

A. Well, elementary I was in special education so I didn't have very much help and then I had an aide to help as needed.

 

Q. Do you have Epilepsy, if so how do you manage having it and do you tell others that you have it?

 

A. I have epilepsy, but it's controlled because I take medication for it and sometimes I do tell others like my mom and people I work with because they do have to know about it.

 

Q. When you share your story with others are you afraid to share it or do you feel comfortable in sharing it with others?

 

A. I'm comfortable because people need to know what Hydrocephalus is, and people need to get educated on what it is.

 

Q. How do others react or respond when you tell them you have Hydrocephalus for the first time?

 

A. Well the first time that I tell them, they don't know what it is, so I have to explain to them what it is.

 

Q. Was it difficult growing up in making and keeping friends or did you find it came easily to you with making and keeping friends?

 

A. I isolated myself from friends, I am very anti social, and so it was hard for me to make and keep friends and I had a lot of doctor's appointments.

 

Q. If you could describe what it's like to share your story with others and what it's like to let others know, what would you say?

 

A. I would tell them, I was born with Hydrocephalus, it's water on the brain and it's not curable. It's my life, there's not much I can do about it.

 

Q. Is it hard to give advice to others if they ask you for it, or do you find it comes easily to you to give advice for when they ask?

 

A. I think it's easy, if they ask for advice because I find it easy and sometimes I get nervous but I understand what they're going through.

 

Q. What do you want people to know about you and your Hydrocephalus Journey? What do you want people to take away from it?

 

A. I want them to take away, I'm strong, I'm confident, it doesn't matter what obstacles I went through, I can do anything I put my mind to.

 

Q. Do you find it hard to understand and process things? If so, how do you find ways to make it easier for you to understand it better?

 

A. Well, I have ADHD as well, so I write things down to process it better, so that I can remember it.

 

Q. Were you ever scared to tell your peers about having Hydrocephalus? If so, why? If not, what helped you make it easier to tell them?

 

A. Well, I wasn't scared to tell them but if they ask then I get scared because I have to tell them it's spinal fluid on my brain, it's excess fluid, and it helps educate them.

 

Q. How has Hydrocephalus impacted you and your life?

 

A. In general, I'm living on my own, I work, I do the best that I can to be positive and not be negative.

 

Q. Who would you say has had a great impact on your life and in your journey?

 

A. Well, I had certain doctors that impacted my life, and they told me that I can do a lot of things. My doctors are guiding me in the right direction.

 

Q. If you could give a piece of advice to someone out there that will read this, what do you want them to know?

 

A. That you can do anything you put your mind to, Hydrocephalus isn't a disability. It can't stop you from what you put your mind to.

 

Q. Finally, how has your journey with Hydrocephalus made you stronger and do you wish there were things that you knew more about having Hydrocephalus growing up to now?

 

A. I think I'm now learning, after going to conference I am learning more about myself than the average person. I learned a lot at conference and I learned that I am more capable of things that I could be doing, I could be driving but I'm not.